MEN'S TENNIS: Pirate sophomore Vitor Mendes closed his Ventura College career with solid performances in singles and with partner Victor Dos Santos in doubles over the weekend at the CCCAA State Championships held at The Ojai Tournament. Mendes advanced to the semifinals in singles on Saturday before bowing out to the eventual state champion, while he and Dos Santos made it to the quarterfinals in the doubles draw. Matheus Montero fell in the round of 64 in singles and also teamed up with Dylan Foster in doubles in the tournament.
Mendes, a state runner-up a year ago, came into the championships as the No. 7-seed. He defeated an opponent from Santa Rosa 6-2, 6-4 on Thursday before outing opposition from Desert on Friday morning, 7-5, 6-1. In the afternoon, he advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Irvine Valley. On Saturday morning, Mendes made it to the semifinals with a 7-6 (1), 5-7, 6-1 win over the No. 3-seed, also from Irvine Valley. He dropped the final four match Saturday afternoon 6-0, 6-0 to the eventual state champion from Cerritos College.
In doubles, Mendes and Montero wer the No. 6-seed. The defeated a team from Victor valley love and love Thursday before winning 6-3, 6-2 against a pair from Cerritos on Friday morning. That afternoon they defeated the No. 13-seed from Irvine Valley 6-2, 6-3 to reach Saturday's quarterfinals. In the round of eight they lost a tight decision to the No. 3-ranked duo from Desert, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 10-5.
In singles, the unseeded Montero won his first match Friday 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 over Cabrillo before falling to the No. 4-seed from Mt. San Jacinto, 6-1, 6-1.